To know or not to know? Mentalization as protection from somatic complaints
Ballespí Sola, Sergi (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut)
Vives Brosa, Jaume (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de Ciències de la Salut)
Alonso, Naida (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut)
Sharp, Carla (University of Houston)
Ramírez, María Salvadora (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut)
Fonagy, Peter (University College London. Department of Psychology & Lang Sciences)
Barrantes-Vidal, Neus (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut)

Fecha:	2019
Resumen:	Somatization processes are usually associated with a lack of insight or with emotional unawareness, especially in adolescents where the ability for self-reflection is beginning to mature. However, the extent to which different levels of insight explain variations in somatization remains understudied. This study aimed to evaluate whether high-level emotional awareness (comprehension) but not low-level awareness (only attention) is needed to psychologically cope with suffering, thus leading to lower somatization. Specific predictions were: 1) High attention along with High comprehension will be associated with significantly lower frequency of somatic complaints than other combinations (Low attention and Low comprehension, or High attention but Low comprehension); 2) In absence of comprehension, no attention will be more optimal than attention only, because only-attention might work as an amplificatory of suffering without the possibility of processing it. Self-reports of meta-cognitive processes, somatization, and control variables were obtained from 264 adolescents from a non-clinical population (54. 5% female; aged 12-18, M = 14. 7, SD = 1. 7). In line with expectations, results revealed significant differences in the effects of insight positions on somatization: Attention+Comprehension (M = 4. 9, SE = 0. 9) < Nothing (M = 7. 1, SE = 0. 3) < Only attention (M = 8. 9, SE = 0. 7). Compared to Nothing, Attention+comprehension was associated with significantly reduced somatic complaints (B = -2. 2, p = 0. 03, 95% CI -4,1 to 0. 2). However, Only attention was associated with increased somatic complaints compared to the other two conditions (B = 1. 8, p = 0. 03, 95% CI 0. 2 to 3. 4; B = 4, CI 95% 1. 6-6. 3, p = 0. 001, respectively). This highlights the role of higher-order awareness (i. e. , comprehension or clarity) in the processing of suffering and stresses its value in the adaptive coping of emotional distress.
Ayudas:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2014/SGR-1070 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PSI2014-54009-R Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PSI2014-56303-REDT Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PSI2014-52962-P
Derechos:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Lengua:	Anglès
Documento:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Publicado en:	PloS one, Vol. 14, Núm. 5 (May 2019) , art. e0215308, ISSN 1932-6203

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215308
PMID: 31048857

20 p, 789.2 KB

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